We have reached 9 days and counting til we get on a big
airplane with lots of luggage to fly to Malawi. Wednesday, I packed our 6 large
suitcases with the things I am sure we are bringing. Four of the cases are just
under the 50 pound limit somewhere around 45-47 pounds. One is just over 50 pounds
and one is in the 32 pound range. I know that I have around 10 additional
pounds to add with water filter cartridges and power converters when they
arrive. This feels like my packing is in
pretty good order. We can still pack some things into our carry on luggage.
Now there is the fact that I still have 3 or 4 tote bags of
yarn and a large storage bin, also a storage bin and two laundry baskets packed
up with extra clothing, there are also some boxes with important??? Papers and
random stuff. This next week it will be either gotten rid of or put in storage
totes in our daughter’s garage or basement. The amount seems manageable to deal
with over the course of a week.
People continue to ask me what our housing will look like. I
just don’t have answers to that question. I know that our country director Mike
Hammond has housing in mind for us and that it is characterized as Western
style missionary housing. I am quite confident we will have running hot and
cold water and electricity when there is electricity. I also know that there is
wireless network available, unsure about the stability and the bandwidth but
there is something. I don’t know what sort of configuration and square footage
things will be or if there will be any existing furniture left by others or we
will start completely from nothing. I realized that I really don’t know how to
buy furniture and household goods in Malawi, and grocery shopping I know has a
bit of adventure involved in finding what you need. What I do know is that as I
Samuel 7:12 states, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” We have emptied and sold
a house, “getting by with a little help from our friends” as I am not sure the
final move out would have happened without a good bit of help. We acquired work
permits in a timely manner. We were able to buy a property in Sioux Falls which
will be rented out while we are gone and will become our home when we return.
My knee replacement is strong and stable and pain free a good bit of the time.
We had screening tests that show our heart and vascular risk of disease to be
very minimal. My thyroid tests showed stability on my current dose. We feel
comfortable with where we are financially with the support we have received
toward our ministry and start up expenses. We feel despite many questions the
Lord is going before us. I know some of this is repetitive but I can't say enough about the continuing provision of our Lord.
So at this point my excitement to learn Chichewa and begin
our new jobs is high, my heart for the Malawian people is strong, and my trust
in God is huge.
I keep reading
information about random things online. Last week I found a recipe for fried
mopani worms with peanut sauce on the Shoprite website. I read the description
about how you purchase them and soak them and rinse them before actually
cooking them and adding the peanut sauce. I am not sure how I feel about eating
insects at all but I realize that there is a chance that it will be something I
encounter and may need to do. I understand it is pretty common to roast
termites in the high season for them to show up in droves. I am resolved that
if God could get us this far he can also help if the need to try culinarily
challenging foods occurs.
